A passion for the Eagle-Vail community is driving the POA election (letter)

It's the final days of the Eagle-Vail Property Owners Association balloting. As a novice campaigner I have come to realize a few things about my community of Eagle-Vail.

As I have been out handing out smiley signs, standing on corners and chatting with my neighbors, one thing is very clear: My neighbors have a passion for living in Eagle-Vail and take full advantage of the biking/hiking paths, golf course in the winter/summer, pocket parks and its streets for walking. We love our community because past POA and Metro boards have worked together to promote Eagle-Vail, grow property values, improve our amenities and foster a sense of community through community events.

Another thing I noticed is the confusion between POA duties and metro district functions. This is understandable. This is why the two boards have worked closely in the past. They have a common goal: provide a safe community with strong property values.

Unfortunately, when the incumbent candidates were elected in 2016 their number-one priority was to end the relationship between the POA and metro district. One of their first actions was to reduce POA dues from $325 to $250. We all want to save money but this seemed like an odd move, especially since our dues are very reasonable.

Their next move was to ask voters for a "special assessment" for needed budget funds. What?? Red flags. You lowered our POA dues and then are asking for that money back? What is going on with our board? The non-transparency and self-serving has been a consistent theme with the POA majority. When I mention to my neighbors that we have outsourced POA management to an outside entity they ask why, and when did that happen.

The short answer to why is that they are standing behind their campaign rhetoric to "lower dues." I ask, to what end? We are one community! The incumbent candidates boasting a $100,000 savings is a bold and premature statement. First of all, the management company is not giving us nearly the same services and will bill hourly for anything over the contract responsibilities. The management company has started charging home sellers $185 in document and processing fees. This is $150 more than what was charged before the management company took over. I'm afraid this may only be the beginning of the hourly fees we as Eagle-Vail residents will see.

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I could go on, but to my point: You pay for it now or you pay later. Please don't be short-sighted and vote for candidates with short-term ideas. Vote for candidates that represent all Eagle-Vail residents, that have years of experience working with government and POA entities, that are willing to work with the metro district to make Eagle-Vail an even better community, that look to the future and how we can continually improve our community. Eagle-Vail works better together! Vote for Lance Richards, Joanna Hopkins and Dan Ramker,